News

We love to keep busy! Here's just some of the news we're producing for Big Fish clients. Take a browse or simply search by company from the 'Categories' section

 

 

Jenna-Lee in full PPE

Former OCL swim teacher swaps the pool for frontline

Jenna-Lea Alston, a 26-year-old former swimming teacher with Oldham Community Leisure (OCL), has swapped her swimming goggles for PPE, working as a frontline nurse at Tameside Hospital during the coronavirus pandemic. The Shaw-based nurse studied for her degree at Manchester Metropolitan University and went on to get a job as an anaesthetic and recovery nurse working in operating theatres. Prior to becoming a nurse, Jenna-Lea worked as a swimming teacher at Oldham Leisure Centre. She says: “I...

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EXi and ReferAll collaborate

EXi, the award-winning exercise prescription App, has announced a new partnership with data management platform ReferAll, to help significantly modernise and streamline the way in which exercise is prescribed to patients. ReferAll is a data management platform used by more than 300 public health services. The platform is widely used by Exercise Referral Schemes (ERS), which links referred patients to physical gyms and exercise groups. This new partnership enables the delivery of a digital programme, which...

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Oldham resident’s unique take on keeping active during COVID

Carol, 74, who lives in Greenacres, is Oldham Community Leisure’s (OCL) Volunteer of the Year 2020, an accolade she won in March for her outstanding dedication to OCL’s Reach Exercise Referral Scheme in her voluntary role as a Physical Activity Mentor. Carol, who was widowed eight years ago and now lives alone, is currently shielding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She needs to be especially mindful of this deadly virus due to her age and underlying...

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Precor Preva stats show positive bounce back across Europe

Data released this week, taken from Precor’s fully-networked fitness solution Preva, shows a glimmer of hope for UK operators. Regions across Europe are bouncing back to pre-COVID attendance levels incredibly quickly. Preva stats comparing total workouts per day in June 2020 with last year’s figures are showing that – in countries where re-opening is well underway – numbers are well on the way to being on a par with previous years. In Germany, where re-opening started from...

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Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) will reopen leisure centres from Saturday 25th July

Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) is preparing all of its venues for reopening on Saturday 25th July. Saddleworth Leisure Centre, Oldham Leisure Centre, Royton Leisure Centre, Chadderton Wellbeing Centre, The Radclyffe Athletics Centre and Failsworth Sports Centre will all reopen this Saturday, now that the government’s coronavirus restrictions have been lifted. OCL’s leisure centres will be open to both members and the wider community for pre-booked activities including the gym, group exercise classes, swimming, courts, bowls, table tennis...

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Trafford Leisure announces a phased leisure centre reopening from 27 July 2020

Trafford Leisure, which runs leisure facilities across the borough, is preparing its venues for a phased reopening from the 27th July. move Urmston, Stretford Leisure Centre, Altrincham Leisure Centre and Sale Leisure Centre will be the first to reopen on the 27th July, when pre-booked activities, including the gym, swimming and group exercises will be available to members, including those who froze their membership during lockdown. Activities will be available to the wider community, through its...

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Institute of Swimming delivers bespoke Aquatic online Training for Derby City Council Swimming Teachers during Covid-19 Pandemic

The Institute of Swimming has developed bespoke online training for its long term partner, Derby City Council, after an aquatic conference day, developed by the Institute of Swimming, was cancelled due to the government’s Covid-19 guidelines.   The Institute of Swimming modified the conference day, transforming the training into an online platform to maintain Derby City Council’s operational aquatic strategy.   Ben Hannan, Sports Manager, Derby City Council says: “It is extremely important to Derby City Council that the...

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Young brothers become ‘first aid’ stars of Trafford Leisure’s new Covid-19 Community Hub

Two young brothers have become online stars overnight as the first aid experts for Trafford Leisure’s new online Community Hub.   The website, launched to support locals during the Covid-19 lockdown, offers health and wellness advice for all the family, including live exercise classes, fitness challenges, pre-recorded workouts, and inspirational first aid training posts led by nine-year-old William and his little brother, Jack, aged six.   Their mother, Fiona, Trafford Leisure’s Learning and Development Manager says: “I’m responsible for...

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Precor launches free Master Coach workouts to support operators during COVID-19 pandemic

Leading equipment manufacturer and supplier, Precor, has delivered a series of solutions to help operators engage with their members throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures include a series of Master Trainer home workout videos along with online advice pages that operators can share with their Personal Trainers and with their members. Steve Carter, MD for Precor UK says: “We know your members’ health and safety is your number one priority, and so want to ensure that you...

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John Carhart at Royton Leisure Centre

Local man celebrates third decade with OCL

Oldham Community Leisure’s (OCL) centres might currently being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but John Carhart, 51, is still celebrating a very special milestone with the company. This month, John enters his 30th year of working for OCL, in a job he says he loves as much now as when he first started over a quarter of a century ago. “I came to OCL as part of a placement scheme, designed to help people with...

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